Method
– Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until pale,I do this in a Kenwood Mixer by far the best way to make a decent cake.
– Add the eggs, flour, lemon juice, lemon rind and ground almonds, mixing thoroughly.
– Place the mixture into a 8in greased and floured cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 150oC/300oF/gas mark 2 for one hour or until springy in the middle when pressed.
– Leave on a wire rack to cool.
– To decorate the cake, wrap some greased proof paper around the sides of the cake, standing proud about 3cm of the top, securing this with a piece of string.
– Put all topping ingredients in a basin over a pan of very hot water. Leave 10 mins to melt, stir till smooth. Leave to cool.
– Pour chocolate icing over top of cake; smooth. Leave to set. Remove paper.
– There should be a good covering of chocolate on the cake.
– Once completely set,
– Marzipan fruits and leaves: form two thirds of marzipan into a selection of apples, pears, bananas, oranges and lemons. Roll oranges and lemons over a nutmeg grater. Place a clove in each fruit to resemble stalk. Us remaining marzipan to make 7 small ivy leaves and tendrils. Paint with food colourings. Leave to harden, arrange on cake.